A Very Hungry Christmas
by WritersBlockDillema
Summary: This is just a story I wrote for a friend as a Christmas gift because she is a huge everlark shipper. SO here it is! Enjoy!


My eyes open and I see Peeta looking directly into them. We slept entwined together, arms around one another's waists, eyes locked on each other's faces until we are pulled under into the depths of sleep. I fell under before Peeta, a part of me wonders if he's been watching me since then, completely uninterrupted, just gazing at my face for hours. "Good morning." He whispers.

"Good morning." I whisper back, my voice heavy with sleep. "And merry Christmas."

Peeta brings his face to mine, placing his lips gently on mine. "Merry Christmas Katniss."

We have plans to visit Effie and Haymitch today, the only other people who live in the Victors' Village. After the war Haymitch finally realized how true the feelings he felt for Effie really were, and once Haymitch was able to remain sober, Effie's feelings grew for him as well. Since the war Effie was a changed woman, still very stern about keeping things orderly, but much less flamboyant. She has stopped wearing wigs, and instead chooses to wear her hair in its natural, curly blonde locks. She still adorns her face in makeup, but looks drastically less altered than she once did. When the Capitol lost its influence on Panem, it lost its influence on Effie as well.

At noon Peeta and I decide its time to head across the short way to Haymitch's home. There is a fresh layer of snow on the ground, and I pull myself closer into my father's old hunting jacket to stay warm. Peeta wraps his arm around my shoulders and I can actually feel his heat cutting through the layers of my clothes, reaching my skin. We reach Haymitch's door and knock, greeted by a beaming Effie, who is wearing an apron which is just as covered in flour as her own face is. Peeta has been teaching Effie how to bake, when he first told me I was shocked, prim and proper Effie who pursed her mouth at eating with your fingers, covered in flour and cooking oil.

We walk inside and I can smell whatever Effie is cooking for us, and can immediately tell Peeta has been a fantastic teacher. "Oh thank you Katniss!" Effie says, after I mention the amazing odors. "Yes I found an old recipe from a woman in town, she said that its been passed down through her family for decades. You should have seen the tiny slip it was written on, covered in dirt and torn around the edges, but it simply sounded so divine I just had to try it!"

"Ah yes, because everything must be divine and marvelous and simply gorgeous." Haymitch says, mocking Effie.

"Well I know someone who will be going to bed tonight with an empty stomach!" Effie says, pointing a wooden spoon at Haymitch.

He pulls her into him and kisses her mouth, making her smile and lower her hand. When he pulls back his face is now covered in the white powder and everyone laughs.

Peeta and I leave our gifts under the christmas tree which is in the sitting room next to the fireplace. Peeta volunteers to help Effie cook and since I think I might do more harm than good in the kitchen, I stay here with Haymitch. He turns on the television and there is an event, almost a parade, celebrating the first Christmas where everyone was free from the tyranny of the Capitol. Haymitch turns the volume to mute, the voices raving on and on about how great the new country is bores us two who both took huge parts in the uprising that brought us here. Its been months since the end of it all, but sometimes I still feel like it was just yesterday that I was my sister explode, watched my life shatter before me. "How are you and Effie doing Haymitch?" I say, quickly trying to escape my mind before the flashbacks begin again.

Haymitch takes a sip of water from his glass before speaking, "We're good." A long pause goes by before he adds, "She seems to be adjusted, happy even. I just... There's something... I don't know, she's just not the same person she was."

"Are any of us who we were before all of this Haymitch?"

"No I don't think so. But its almost like she's lost a part of herself. A part she misses."

I reach over and take his hand, grasping it tightly. "Then you have to be there for her. Help her find that piece thats missing, and if its really missing, it'll come back to her."

I think back to when Peeta first returned to me. There were still times when he would think I wasn't the love of his life, just a mutt. I would have to help him find that part he'd lost, the part where he loved me unconditionally. The part where he saw something in me that no one else could.

A half an hour goes by before Effie is calling us into the dining room. Effie is scrambling to get all the food out onto the table, already filling each plate with food. The smell was strong at the door, but being so close makes my mouth fill with saliva. Peeta moves to pull my chair out from the table for me. "Thank you." I say, sitting.

"Alright I think everything is set in place!" Effie says, her excitement is seeping out in her words.

Effie takes her place next to Haymitch and we begin eating. I immediately realize that either the recipe Effie received kept hidden an indescribable dish, or Effie herself is just an amazing chef. "Mmm Effie this is delicious!" I say as I swallow the food.

"Thank you dear, although I did have quite a bit of help from Peeta."

"Oh no the meal was practically done by the time I got in the room, Effie deserves all the credit." Peeta says.

Effie's face is plastered with a smile that stretches across from ear to ear. Haymitch pats her shoulder, still shoveling food into his mouth, getting in as much as he can.

The meal finishes with moans of satisfaction and yawns as we all try to grasp how much food we just ate. After a few minutes of small conversations I offer to do the dishes, but Peeta insists he can do them. "No Peeta you helped cook the meal!" I protest.

"I really didn't do much! Effie was on top of the game when I got in there I just kept her company."

"Well I'll at least help you dry off the dishes then." I say, and head straight to the sink in the kitchen with a stack of plates from the table.

Peeta washes, I dry. We manage to get the task completed sooner than I'd expected to and make our way to the sitting room once more, when Peeta stops me. "Katniss, look up."

Right above our heads is a mistletoe, dangling from the ceiling. I laugh a little, "Effie has impeccable placement for her decorations." I say.

I pull Peeta close to me, and feel his lips on mine again. We kiss each other until we both need to breath again, smiling at each other.

In the sitting room Effie is sharing a seat with Haymitch, half her body on top of his lap, their faces looking deep into one another's eyes. They act as though we've interrupted them because as soon as they notice our presence, Effie immediately stands, straightening her shirt looking startled. "Oh! How's about we open the gifts now! If that's alright with everyone?" Effie asks.

Effie reaches under the tree, handing the gifts out to each of us. Mine is wrapped in a dark brown paper with a red string tied around it, the words are written in fine handwriting and read, "To:Katniss From: Effie and Haymitch Ho Ho Ho!"

I can immediately tell Effie was signing the gifts. I sit with my legs crossed on the ground while I open the wrapping, revealing a white box. I open it and inside is a picture of myself, Effie, Haymitch and Peeta, all standing together smiling, looking happy. Underneath the caption on the frame says, "We're a team. Always."

I know its silly, but my eyes begin to water. "When was this taken?" I ask Effie.

"Oh it was at some point after the first games. I found it in the Capitol at some point after... Well I don't exactly remember, but its not important."

Haymitch squeezes Effies thigh and she looks at him and smiles, she is relying on him now more than she ever thought she would. Its incredible how far these two have come. Starting off as finding the other revolting, and now using one another to keep themselves grounded in reality.

My gifts for Effie and Haymitch are each less sentimental. For Effie a pair of gloves made from a fox pelt, the orange of its fur shines bright against the fire. Haymitch receives a knife that I bought at the town market. On the handle are his initials, HA, engraved in the dark wood. Mahogany as a matter of fact. Both seem ecstatic with their gifts, "Oh Katniss!" Effie says, sounding breathless, "I absolutely adore them!" she puts the gloves on and feels the inside with her fingers. "Did you make these yourself?"

Her tone shows that her interest is genuine. "Yes I did. I'm glad you like them!"

Haymitch take out the knife and slashes the air with it, making whizzing noises as it moves. "Mmm nice blade, the handle has a fine grip on it. This is very nice. Thanks sweetheart."

"You're welcome Haymitch." I say.

Equal reactions are met by Peeta's gifts. For his star pupil he purchased a thick cook book, slightly edited and added to by Peeta. And for Haymitch a landscape painting of Effie and Haymitch. In the painting the sun is setting in the foreground, and closer is Haymitch and Effie, arms wrapped around each other facing the beautiful colors shining down upon them. I remember watching Peeta work. Marveling at his concentration and skill as he mixed colors, creating a sunset from nothing. "Is that how you wanted Haymitch? I want to make sure I got it just right."

"Yeah. This is perfect. Thanks Peeta, I appreciate it."

Effie looks at Haymitch, her eyes glossy now as mine are. "What do you mean?"

"I asked Peeta to paint a picture of us, I wanted him to capture the emotions I feel for you."

Effie's face lights up with a smile again, and she looks at Haymitch. Then, acting as though Peeta and I aren't here, she leans in and kisses him.

I look around me, Peeta to my right sitting on the ground next to me, then to Haymitch and Effie, locked in an embrace. I look at all these people surrounding me, and for remember how it felt on Christmas with Prim. When we were all on our own, our mother lost in the prison of her mind, and Prim would try to put decorations around the house. Making wreaths out of branches, giving me berries she'd found growing by the fence and saved just for me, something which was sweet and precious to us when we had so little. On those days I knew there would be no one I would love as much as I loved her, my little sister who would try her best to make our Christmases shine. But now I know, I can open my heart to others as I did for her. I look at these people I'm surrounded by and realize that I still do have a family. A family in Peeta, and Haymitch, and even Effie. A family who will take care of me and protect me. And I know that I would do nothing less than the same for them. After all, just like my picture says, we are a team. Always.


End file.
